HS4 ZEE S2/PI Edition 4.1.15.0 (Linux) to HS4 Pro Edition 4.1.16.0 (Windows)

[akirkby]

I've eventually decided that I would like to use some additional plugins, more than the number allowed on the Pi Edition, so I am now migrating my system over to HS4 Standard Windows - At the moment I am running the Windows system with a temp license to check the stability etc, but, I think I am about ready to do to the migration.

• Windows PC 10 Pro
• i5-4590T @ 2.00GHz
• 8GB RAM
• 500GB SSD

Does anyone have any do's, don'ts to implement this?

• Is it simply a case of doing a backup on the Pi and restore on Windows?
• Then just move the UZB interface across?

Any feedback/comments from other Homeseers that may have done this in the past would be appreciated.

Andrew

[Roger D]

Greetings akirkby,

I have started the exact same process of going from a Raspi to a Windows 10 system and another Linux Debian 10 system too, but that's a different story...

I ran the Raspi 4 for about a year before experiencing the same issue of not being able to install any more plugins. In that years time I have come up with multiple ways of accomplishing tasks quicker, easier, cleaner, more logical, etc.

In my case, I did not do a clean break and stop the Raspi and startup the Windows version. Since there were so many things that I wanted to change in the system I just exclude a device from one system before including it in the other. After I have customized that device the way I want it I go get another one. There are multiple advantages of doing it this way. Your system is never really down for any length of time. You don't have to rush. You can correct things that have bugged you along the way. Etc., etc..

Ultimately you will have to decide.

• Is the existing system configured the way you want it?
• How big is it? A smaller system is easier to just start over with than a larger one is?
• Do you enjoy the configuration process or is it a pain in the ...?
• Are you under any time contraints?
• Do you have an extensive list of Events?
• Do you have devices that don't fully work properly on the older 500 series gateway?
• Are you going to update the gateway to the 700 series chipset/Plug-in?
• I have and/or had the HomeSeer gateway that came with the original Zee S2, a couple RaZberry gateways from Z-Wave.Me, a HS SmartStick+ G2, a HS SmartStick+ G3 (Highly recommended) and most recently an Aeotec Z-PI7 (a close 2nd to the SmartStick+ G3.)
• There is a huge difference in the capabilities of the latest Z-Wave Plug-in and the one that came with the original ZEE S2. However, you will not see this difference unless you have excluded the device from the system and re-included under the newer Plug-in! This WILL depend on the device being used. As with everything else, YMMV.

No mater which way you go, some personal recommendations would be to...

• Document, document, document. It makes it easier down the road if you want to do/redo something.
• That leads into Backup, Backup, Backup and store copies off the same disk that is in the computer!
• Checkout Jon00's website. He has some fantastic utilities that make managing HomeSeer easier.
• Use a logical way of naming your devices that when you read an Event the wording flow naturally. I.E. When you view the entire list of devices, can you clearly and easily tell every device apart or does it seem like some names are the same?

There are more but I'm out of time at the moment. I'll update the list later.

Hope this helps,

Be Safe, Roger D

[akirkby]

Hi Roger - thanks for the detailed response. I like the idea of a gradual migration, although I guess that this would mean a requirement for two licences? My Windows Standard License is an upgrade of the Pi license so not sure what happens here?

[Roger D]

You can always request a trial license that you can use to get things rolling.

Roger D

[drhtmal]

Hi Roger - thanks for the detailed response. I like the idea of a gradual migration, although I guess that this would mean a requirement for two licences? My Windows Standard License is an upgrade of the Pi license so not sure what happens here?

I think you can run both at the same time. I am still running HS3 on my production box and have HS4 on a different box which I will eventually upgrade to. The HS4 license was an upgrade from HS3 and both are running at the same time.

[SteveW]

• There is a huge difference in the capabilities of the latest Z-Wave Plug-in and the one that came with the original ZEE S2. However, you will not see this difference unless you have excluded the device from the system and re-included under the newer Plug-in! This WILL depend on the device being used.

Would you please elaborate on the differences, aside from improved performance? I replaced the Pi HAT in my HS4 Pi with a new SmartStick G3+. Now the events bug was solved, it certainly does perform better.

I'm almost done migrating the original Pi/SD Card installation to a HS4 Standard license running on a Pi 4B with 4GB of RAM and a USB-attached SSD. It is so much faster than the Pi 3B with a SD Card. I'm simply restoring a backup of the existing system configuration to the new one. I am very loathe to have to exclude, re-include and re-configure all my devices, unless there is a strong case to be made. Thanks!

[Roger D]

A quick one off the top of my head is multi-channel devices show up properly now whereas before they child devices could not be controlled.

For example...

On the Aeotec Siren 6 device it now shows up like this



Whereas before I could only control a single channel of the siren.

Roger D